Is There Fall in Heaven?
/
photo by David kovalenko on unsplash
*This devotion was originally published @joyfullifemagazine.
I adore fall time. I love it so much, in fact, that I like to say in Heaven I’m going to have a house that is surrounded by a perpetually autumn landscape. Recently, I was joking with a friend about my future autumnal home, and this question arose: If fall, as wonderful as it is, is a season of loss and decay, could there actually be fall in Heaven?
My first response was, “Well, if there’s not, there will be something better.” Which I’m sure is true. But the question stuck with me over the following days. I wondered, Why do I love fall so much when it is, in reality, a sad season? What place could autumn have in perfectly-life-giving Heaven?⠀
⠀
On a walk in the woods, I prayerfully considered these questions. All around me birch and aspen leaves glowed golden in the afternoon sunshine. An occasional gust of wind loosened clusters from their branches, sending them fluttering to the forest floor as softly as snowflakes. Highbush cranberry bushes burned crimson, their ruby-red fruit perfuming the air with a sweetly pungent odor.⠀
⠀
As I contemplated, I felt God showing me a new perspective on fall. I saw that, rather than “losing” their leaves, the trees are willingly surrendering them. In His wisdom, God commands the trees to shed their leaves, knowing that if they hold on to them their branches will break under the weight of winter ice and snow. The release of their foliage is an illustration of trust in God’s wisdom and timing.⠀
⠀
And those highbush cranberries whose spicy smell I relish? They are giving themselves. Rather than the smell of decomposition, I recognized their tangy scent as an invitation: “Come, partake. Let me nourish you. I offer myself to fill you up.”⠀
⠀
Fall is about trusting and surrendering, giving and nourishing. Whether there is autumn in Heaven or not, surely these values can be found. And whether they are represented through tumbling leaves and ripe berries or something else, I’m sure it is beautiful.⠀
⠀
With love,
I want to hear from you!
What truths do you glean from the fall season? I'd love to hear about it in the comments below!
(Note: if you would like to be notified of any replies to your comment, click the "subscribe via email" button above the comment box. This will not subscribe you to my email list, just the comment feed.)
P.S.
I wrote this post because I’m on a mission to encourage and equip women to live the life of faith, passion, and purpose that we were made for. You can help make a difference by sharing this post with a friend (or friends!) who you think would be encouraged or inspired by it. Thanks!
Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission, with no additional cost to you. I only recommend products or services I believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
